* * *
It seemed that for Locke, who knew nothing of love, the emotional development of romance novel protagonists was an unexpectedly curiosity-piquing element.
‘Go ahead, get a little anxious.’
Since I had always been the one chasing after him, a small desire bloomed in me for him to wait for me for once.
“If you’re curious about the relationship between the Barrier Master and the Destruction, you could lend me the book. I’ll read it myself and dig out their dynamic and feelings very clearly and surely. Despite how I look, back when I was working part-time… no, back in the day, I was legendary for giving the servants amazing relationship advice.”
However, contrary to my expectation that he would lend me the book, Locke pondered for a moment before offering a different answer.
“This is the only copy of this book in the world.”
If he refused, I wouldn’t have the excuse of returning the book to meet him.
My plan was a failure. I lowered my eyebrows sulkily and spoke grumpily.
“How do you know that?”
“I just know. Anyway, this book isn’t something that can be bought new or obtained easily. If someone as clumsy as the Young Master were to scratch it or lose it, how would you compensate me?”
“Where would I lose it when I spend all day sitting in my room? And even if I scratched it, how much damage could I really do… fine, let’s say I did. Couldn’t I just pay you back?”
“I don’t accept money. This isn’t just a simple book…”
Locke shut his mouth tight.
“If it’s not a normal book, then what is it? Why do you stop mid-sentence like that just to make me curious?”
“I’ll read it first, and if I can’t find the answer, I’ll think about it again then.”
“Fine, whatever. Do you think I’m some idle person just waiting for your answer?”
Hmph.
He was the one who was curious about the Barrier Master and what love was in the first place.
If he was going to back out, he shouldn’t have asked at all. Grumbling, I gripped the ribbon of the packaging and yanked it hard.
The ribbon that wouldn’t budge earlier suddenly let out a ‘rip!’ and came off all at once.
Realizing I might have shown too much of my feelings, I glanced at Locke and quickly shook the ribbon—now more tattered than a rag—off my hands.
I immediately opened the lid of the box as if nothing had happened.
Inside were beautifully arranged biscuits, their golden-baked surfaces filled with colorful fruit fillings.
I thrust the box toward his face.
“These are the biscuits I mentioned before. They’re delicious. Try one.”
“If you give me what’s left after you’ve eaten, I’ll have some then.”
“Don’t tell me you don’t want to eat with me because I was just grumbling a bit?”
“My hands are dirty.”
I looked at his long, straight fingers.
They were white and clean as if they had just been washed.
There was no dirt under his fingernails either.
But if he said so, then that was that. I asked him again.
“What flavor do you like?”
“Flavor?”
“The fillings inside are fruit-flavored.”
Locke hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly.
“Are there… grapes?”
Mid-question, he peeked at my reaction.
Without thinking, I sniffed the scent of the biscuits and then snapped my head up.
I narrowed my eyes and glared at him.
“Aha! Look at that. I knew it. You actually like grapes, don’t you? You told me you hated them back then because you were sulking at me, right? I knew it from the moment you accepted those grapes from that servant… gulp.”
I bit my lip hurriedly mid-chatter. Then I buried my face in the cookie box.
‘I might as well stick a sign on my forehead saying I eavesdropped on his confession scene.’
The summer air was quite hot and sticky.
Perhaps that was why the gaze fixed on my face as I flusteredly searched for the grape filling felt even more persistent.
I quickly picked up a biscuit tucked away in the very corner.
“T-this is grape. I’m sure of it.”
I held the biscuit up to the tip of Locke’s nose, and he lowered his eyes slightly, focusing on the scent.
My heart was thumping, wondering if he’d say something about me eavesdropping, but he took a big bite of the biscuit without hesitation.
His gaze remained fixed on my eyes.
While I was distracted by the intense light in his unblinking eyes, his lips touched my fingertips.
Startled by the thin brush of warmth, I nearly dropped the biscuit.
Unable to bear the awkwardness, I hurriedly shoved the biscuit further into his mouth and curled my hand into a fist.
“How is it?”
“I haven’t even chewed yet.”
“Oh? Ah, right. You’re a slow chewer. Sorry, sorry. I was too hasty. Go on, chew it. Thoroughly.”
I was waiting for Locke’s response with a bashful smile when he whispered lowly, “Hold on,” and reached his hand out over my head.
Caught off guard, I instinctively curled my body up and trembled.
The trauma of that day had not yet vanished.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to watch the confession scene back then…”
I gripped my thumping heart, my lower lip trembling.
I saw Locke’s hand slowly clench into a fist above my head. It felt as if his pupils shook subtly.
Locke then opened his hand and lightly swept over the top of my head as if shooing away a bug.
I unintentionally held my breath as the side of his hand brushed against my hair.
Finally, he silently held out his palm toward me.
On it lay a single, small crape myrtle flower, resting quietly.
Only then did I loosen my stiffened body.
He had only been brushing off a flower that had fallen on my head.
Along with the relief, a bitter thought crossed my mind.
When will I ever be able to let go of this reflexively surging fear?
I didn’t want to be afraid of him anymore.
Locke spoke cautiously.
“Young Master.”
‘…Are you afraid of me?’
I couldn’t answer that lingering question immediately.
The fact that I was afraid of him was the undeniable truth.
However, even if I asked ‘Why?’, I didn’t have the confidence to explain it.
In the first place, did it make any sense for a noble to be afraid of a servant?
Furthermore, he hadn’t done anything to me in this life.
I picked at the corner of the biscuit box for a long time before finally looking up.
I replied with a fake smile.
“There’s no way I’d be afraid of you. What a ridiculous question… haha.”
Just as Locke opened his mouth to say something, the faint sound of servants’ laughter drifted toward us.
“Haha, really? Jake said that?”
“I’m telling you!”
Among the voices was the personal servant of my mother’s bedchamber.
This was bad.
If we were caught alone together, Mother might really send him away to some place where I’d never see him again.
I thrust the biscuit box into Locke’s hands and stood up abruptly.
“It sounds like Mother’s servant is coming this way. I have to go.”
“If you go back along the boxwood hedge, you won’t be seen.”
“Thanks. Oh, and I heard from my sister that you’re raising a pine bunting. I’ll bring some birdseed next time. I hope you’ll show me that cute little thing one day.”
At my words, he tilted his head as if it were the first he’d heard of it, but then seemed to recall something and made a sound of realization.
He covered his mouth with his hand, but he couldn’t hide the way the corners of his lips quirked up.
“That bird is a coward; it’s even afraid of spiders.”
“What? A bird afraid of spiders? Is there an animal that’s afraid of its own food? Haha, how silly.”
For some reason, the corners of Locke’s mouth rose even higher.
Living only inside the house, I guess I didn’t even know that some animals are afraid of their food.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I cleared my throat with a “hem, hem” and turned away, saying, “I’ll be going now.”
After walking for a long time while hiding behind the large boxwood hedge, I was finally able to straighten my back once I reached the fountain.
Just then, I saw Locke sitting sideways on the bench, looking at the crape myrtle flower in his hand.
I thought he had already thrown it away, but he had been holding it all this time.
He stared blankly at the flower before bowing his head to smell its scent.
Seeing his faint smile, my heart suddenly felt so ticklish I thought I might sneeze.
He closed his eyes and smelled the scent for a long time before opening his book.
He pressed the flower between the pages, then lay down on the bench as if collapsing, using the closed book to block the sunlight breaking over his face.
In that instant, his eyes peeked out and turned toward me.
Gasp.
He must have felt my gaze.
Feeling as if my heart had dropped to my waist, I turned my head away hurriedly, even though I hadn’t done anything wrong.
In my haste, I didn’t have time to see what was in front of me and slammed my forehead right into a fountain statue.
Covering my bright red forehead with my hand, I scrambled away from there.
This summer seemed exceptionally hot.
The ball was just around the corner.
The banquet hosted by the Duke’s family this time was on a different scale.
While they were usually known for being lavish, this time there was a double celebration: the Duke’s second son had become a 4th-circle mage and received a summons from the Imperial Palace, and he had recently manifested as an Alpha.
Unlike typical banquets that lasted half a day or at most until the next morning, this was a two-night event—a scale usually reserved for coronations or weddings.
It was understandable since it proved the son’s outstanding talent and he was receiving a title at a young age, but honestly, it was a bit excessive.
Moreover, I overheard during a conversation between Eclat and Ciel that even the 7th Prince might attend.
The climax, the ball, was on the second day—the final night of the event.
While headed to my room after breakfast, Eclat, who had been coordinating outfits with Ciel, came running into the mansion saying she found an accessory that would be perfect for her.
Noticing me stopped on the stairs, she was startled and even stopped fanning herself.
“Oh my, Cedric! Your forehead is red again. Are you feeling unwell again?”
“Ah… I have a bit of a fever.”
Coincidentally, this happened every time I ran into Eclat.
It was too embarrassing to admit I’d hit my head on a statue while staring dazed at Locke’s face, so I lied again.
“The ball is coming up soon, will you be okay? You don’t have to push yourself if you’re not feeling well…”
Eclat was one of the few kind characters in this entire novel.
So I wanted to be good to her. Besides, I wasn’t actually sick.
“I’m fine. It’s just because I’ve been in the sun too much. Besides, if not for Eclat, who would debut me into society? I’m actually looking forward to the ball quite a bit.”
“Really? I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you, Cedric!”
She smiled brightly, saying she was looking forward to seeing me in my formal attire.
Returning to my room, I looked out the window and fell into thought. Formal attire…
Since the banquet was hosted by Marquis Albret, who valued etiquette, it was natural to wear clothes that fit the occasion.
And I had forgotten one fact.
“Oops.”
There was no way Locke had clothes good enough to attend the banquet as a noble’s servant.
Thanks to Eclat, I realized what I could do for Locke and immediately called Howard, asking him to bring the manager of the boutique.
* * *
